archie57

I knew Harold Lane and Jack Lane when they worked for BW - were they also brothers of Charlie?

I once asked a boater friend which boat had one person had for the longest period of time - the answer was Naburn, captain Charlie Lane. I'm sure Pete can tell us how long he had it for?

- but did you have any problems with width and depth.......?

Thanks Jeanette - it is Rose Meese though in the "Dipper" pictures wearing a headscarf. I did meet them a couple of times in the distant past.

I've been up the M40 with this Lyra! (- it was on the back of the lorry)

Yes it is, the "Sorceress" , so named as a condition of sale from BW, has reverted to it's original name of "Mercury" I'm afraid you'll have to wait to see Mr Coles! I'll pass on your thanks to Margaret!

I am grateful to Margaret Clark, who had the foresight to rescue this material some 50 years ago, for letting me reproduce some of it here. To quote from the text "A vee belt is fixed to the flywheel and used for driving a small electric generator for lighting purposes" and elsewhere "A small dynamo attached to the engine charges the accumulators and the butty boat accumulator is changed over to the motor to be charged up every week"

I'll talk to the owner of it and see if she'll let me put it on here.

_ the steerer of "Adamant" is a bit of a dubious character anyway......!

I've only just picked this up - I'm afraid you're incorrect, they were fitted from new, batteries being swapped between motor and boat as required. For pictorial proof, look at The National Bulletin No. 158 August 1936, page 6!

Talking of Atherstone, who remembers these? (My copyright)

It's the first picture I've seen of centre paddles at Atherstone - no boater I've talked to could ever remember them. I dare say there must be a record somewhere of when the side ponds were constructed......

That must have been the earlier wooden boat that the "England" replaced. Here's one of the cut-off-fore-end joshers in use http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw192.3.2.1.30.59

I don't know about the HNBC site, but I can tell you that this anonymous boat, with a small "tea hut" and a small rams head, was sitting on the bank at Hayhurst Yard, Northwich, for a long time in the late 60s/early70s - perhaps Laurence has a pictiure - until sold into private hands and taken to Charity Dock for rebuilding. Meanwhile the boat carrying the name "England" was across the mouth of the old Harecastle Tunnel at Kidsgrove - it was reputedly buried there when finished with. https://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/12954183045/in/photostream/

Except it's not actually the "England"...........!

I'll have to see what I've got - will have a look over the next day or two. I'd be interested to know what it's for, there can't be too many boats left with these! Archie

I have some GU boat metallastic couplings if you are stuck for one......

Many of these are in wrong sets or miscaptioned eg. this one- here are Bob Grantham's boats waiting to load at Longford - you can see he's pumped out the motor ready -I don't know where they got Apsley from! http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw192.3.2.2.13.1.292 edited to add -I see that you can now correct the captions!

Rowington

How about the "Hawkesbury" when in the ownership of Kim McGavin?

Not true - the Hillmorton section did some around 30 years ago, discharging crane at one point ISTR being on the outside of the bottom pound at Wigrams/Calcutt, and another time the dredgings were going back to the Puddle Bank at Braunston. I even had a driving lesson on the dredger above the locks at Calcutt, fetching out a sledgehammer in the process! Some was also done round by the brickworks. More recently the straight towards Shuckburgh turn was dredged on to the outside bank.

One of Jim Payler's photos from Blisworth website - http://www.blisworth.org.uk/images/Payler%20Albums/GUCCCBW/BW%2009%20Motor%20Malus%20on%20the%20Arm-.jpg

http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/hockley_goods_part1.htm#sidings Try this link if it works!